Honda VFR400R3 MOT pass rate and common failures
Honda VFR400R3 motorcycles pass the MOT 85.77% of the time, measured across 239 tests in the DVSA record. A further 5.44% passed only after a defect was put right at the test station.
What to check before the MOT
Built from this model's own failure record, not general advice.
- Start with not working - it accounts for 47.6% of failed tests on this model.
- Then check missing and has a serious fluid leak, the next two most common reasons.
- The most common advisory is tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm (5.9% of all tests) - not a failure, but money you will spend sooner or later.
- Average recorded mileage at test is 28,756 miles, which is the number to compare any advert against.
Pass rate by age
A single pass rate hides the most useful thing in this data: how the same model behaves at three years old and at fifteen.
| Age at test | Pass rate | Tests | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16+ years | 85.71% | 238 |
Why the Honda VFR400R3 fails
Share of failed tests on this model where the item was recorded. One test can fail on several items, so the column does not add up to 100%.
| # | Item | Of failures | Tests | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Not working | 47.6% | 10 | |
| 2 | Missing | 33.3% | 7 | |
| 3 | Has a serious fluid leak | 23.8% | 5 | |
| 4 | Does not conform to the specified requirements | 19% | 4 | |
| 5 | Excessively binding | 19% | 4 | |
| 6 | Does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls | 14.3% | 3 | |
| 7 | Excessively stiff or notchy | 14.3% | 3 | |
| 8 | Contaminated | 9.5% | 2 | |
| 9 | Flashing more than 120 times a minute | 9.5% | 2 | |
| 10 | Light intensity obviously reduced | 9.5% | 2 |
Most common advisories
Not a failure and not a legal requirement to fix - but an advisory that repeats year after year is money the next owner spends.
| # | Item | Of all tests | Tests | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm | 5.9% | 14 | |
| 2 | Noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar motorcycle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition | 5% | 12 | |
| 3 | Indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort | 4.6% | 11 | |
| 4 | Excessively binding | 2.5% | 6 | |
| 5 | Has a serious fluid leak | 2.5% | 6 | |
| 6 | Has excessive wear or free play | 2.5% | 6 | |
| 7 | Excessively distorted | 2.1% | 5 | |
| 8 | Excessively loose | 1.3% | 3 | |
| 9 | Has excessive play | 1.3% | 3 | |
| 10 | Insecure | 1.3% | 3 |
Honda VFR400R3 for sale
No Honda VFR400R3 in stock at the moment - 74 other Honda bikes are advertised.
Similar bikes compared
Models of comparable capacity, so the comparison means something.
| Model | Tests | Pass rate | Avg mileage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda CB 397-750cc · 397-750cc | 5,400 | 89.76% | 19,444 | |
| Royal Enfield HIMALAYAN · 411cc | 2,371 | 88.49% | 8,163 | |
| Royal Enfield METEOR 350 · 349cc | 2,133 | 93.95% | 4,543 | |
| Honda NSS 250-297cc · 250-297cc | 1,397 | 90.34% | 17,407 | |
| Honda CB500 · 497cc | 1,300 | 84.08% | 34,941 | |
| Honda CRF 300 LA-M · 286cc | 1,297 | 88.43% | 3,963 |
Source: DVSA MOT testing data, 2025 · updated Aug 2026 · licence and method